Plankton Community of the Halda River, Chattogram

Abstract

The study was designed to know the status of plankton population of the spawning ground of Halda River, Bangladesh during April to September 2017. Samples were collected from four locations [Estuary (Kalurghat), Khondokiakhal, Modunaghat, and Sattarghat] by using Kemmerer water sampler and passed through the plankton net (25 µm). Total number of plankton cell was counted by using Sedgewick-Rafter (S-R) cell and expressed in cells/L. Total number of 20, 14, 19, and 20 genera of phytoplankton were recorded in Estuary, Khondokiakhal, Modunaghat, and Sattarghat respectively belonging to Bacillariophyceae (11), Chlorophyceae (3), Cyanophyta (3), Dinophyceae (2), and Pyrrophyta (1). Total number of 4, 4, 5, and 5 zooplankton genera were recorded in Estuary, Khondokiakhal, Modunaghat, and Sattarghat respectively belonging to Cladocera (2), Copepoda (1), and Rotifera (2). Among the plankton, Bacillariophyceae, Cladocera, and Rotifera were the most dominant group than the others in Halda River. Total phytoplankton ranged from 39 to 68, 15 to 44, 44 to 79, and 50 to 79 cell/liter in Estuary, Khondokiakhal, Modunaghat, Sattarghat, respectively. The highest number of plankton was found in Modunaghat and Sattarghat. The present research will help for future research to get knowledge about the planktonic biota and their condition in the Halda River.